Beans, cider, artichokes, potatoes, wine, peppers… and weapons. In Euskal Herria there are also weapons, weapons of war, those weapons that kill people: Armas Eusko Label. And more weapons are produced than are believed, in factories and companies next door, but with the complicity of different institutions and parties.

The Basque military industry has annual profits of over EUR 500 million. Businesses, however, hide many figures, so the benefits can be much more. Currently, more than 100 Basque companies allocate all or part of their production to the production of weapons, some of which are among the most important in the Spanish military sector. Among others, the most representative are:

• In Álava, the company AERNNOVA dedicated to the aerospace sector.
• In Bizkaia, ITP is a missile and military electronics company engaged in aerospace and SENER. The latter, for example, has a research center at the University of the Basque Country.
• In Gipuzkoa, the company SAPA, dedicated to the production of war tanks and military vehicles.
• In Iparralde, the companies DASSAULT and TURBOMECA operating in the aerospace field.

As if that were not enough, more than 80% of production is exported. The majority, to the European countries, to use them in other war operations such as NATO, the SEM and others. Another part is sent to countries of conflict and oppression such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel or Egypt.

Involvement, hypocrisy and denunciation

With the data on the table, various associations and collectives - Askapena, Anti-Militarist Peace Action, Free Bardenas, Women Against War, Gasteiztarras, Greenpeace, Host City of Iruña, KEM-MOC, La Guerraza Begins Here, Ongi Etorri Errefuxigaiz, OXYGAIZ

Universities, VET centres and research centres, for example, have reported that they are engaged in research work to increase military production. The Basque Government, for its part, offers support and public money to the Basque military industry: “It supports, approves and finances government budgets with sustained growth in military spending and channelles subsidies to the military industry.”

Likewise, they have censored the fact that several banks, among which BBVA stands out, finance and invest the arms industry in Spain. In this sense, they have denounced the hypocrisy of representatives of political parties who “praise and publicly acknowledge the entrepreneurs who drive and finance the military sector”.

Aperribay, Sendagorta… Names after the military industry

In addition to the institutions, the signatories have called on the citizens to reflect on the complicity that exists around the war. “How is it possible that the president of a Basque football team, that of La Real, is part of the leadership of a war tank factory? How is it possible that the owners of such factories – Aperribay, Sendagorta… – receive awards and distinctions from public and private institutions?”

On the other hand, they have recalled that the business of war leaves “terrible consequences” of the lives of millions of people, such as death, destruction or despair. “Women and children are the hardest hit, with systematic sexual violence being used as a weapon of war.”

Above figures, people

The average number of deaths caused by armed conflicts is 150,000 a year.70 million people have had to flee their homes to survive. Most of them stay in the surrounding countries, but some of them embark on longer and more dangerous journeys. “When they come to us they encounter criminalization, persecution and extreme poverty.”

All the signatories have called for the reshaping of the production of the Basque military industry to turn this situation around. “That the objective of this production is civil use, following ethical, sustainable and solidarity criteria, and putting life at the centre.” And they have also taken advantage of the appearance to give “a dignified welcome to all the people who come to our people” to the institutions: “If our artifacts lead to the forced flight of thousands of people, we have an obligation to be a host people.”

Days from 22 January to 2 February

To better explain all this, the organizers have organised several days for the coming weeks, to be held in Vitoria-Gasteiz:

• The war starts here. Talk Stop sending arms to Saudi Arabia. Talk by Ina Robles, a firefighter from Bizkaia, on January 22 at 19:00 at the Aldabe Civic Center.
• The documentary begins here the Florida War, which will be premiered in theaters and which has been produced by Joseba Sanz. Thursday, 24 January: invitations available at Hala Bedi Taberna.
• Armed Banking, How is war funded? Conference by Xavi Mojal and Mónica Vega. 30 January, Wednesday, at 19:00 in the Aldabe Civic Center.
• The trips have no lap for the theater on February 1 in the Monstrenka Hall. The show of Itziar Rekalde will be broadcast from 21:00 in ETB-1.
• On Saturday, February 2, the traditional local product fair will be held, from 11:30 to 15:00 hours in the Post Office.

This news was posted by Hala Bedi Irratia and we brought it with the Creative Commons license.